Interdisciplinary Studies (IDS)

IDS 102. Urban Legends and American Society. 3 Credit Hours.

This course allows students to explore and study urban legends in American society as well as the various contexts in which these myths are placed. Students have the opportunity to interpret the symbolic and social significance of urban legends as well as analyze its shaping and criticism of American Society. Prerequisite: Reading Proficiency.

IDS 103. Topics in Arab Culture. 3 Credit Hours.

Fiction and non-fiction literature is examined to analyze current issues, evaluate scenarios and propose creative solutions to educational, social and political events in Arab countries and the Arab diaspora. Multiple roles, concepts and expectations of citizenship are introduced. The roots of Arab educational, social and current political issues are examined to establish context. Prerequisite: Reading Proficiency.

IDS 104. Equity in Education. 3 Credit Hours.

Fiction and non-fiction texts are examined to explore the U.S. education experience in past and present educational settings. Equity in educational settings and experiences is examined. Teaching and learning theory and leading educational philosophies are introduced and compared to literature-based interpretations. Prerequistes Reading Proficiency.

IDS 105. Law Goes to the Movies. 3 Credit Hours.

This interdisciplinary course explores important themes in the study of law by comparing scholarly/quantitative work, against representations of these themes in cinema. The course explores legal themes through multiple perspectives, including comparison of scholarly research, communication methods, and psychology. These approaches will provide opportunities for students to gain insight into how films are a cultural vehicle for representation or misrepresentation of lawyers and the legal process. Prerequisite: Reading Proficiency.

IDS 106. The Artist in Society. 3 Credit Hours.

This course focuses on cultivating habits of mind by examining significant developments in western thought through the lenses of the artists who have reflected those developments and/or contributed to them. Through integration and exploration of the arts within historical contexts, development of culture, and communication theory, students examine the impact of the arts on the beliefs, values, and behaviors of individuals and society. Prerequisite: Reading Proficiency.

Students will explore representation of race, class, gender, sexuality, and disability in American films, television programs, animation, music, journalism, advertisements, and other mediated culture products, from the early 20th century to the present. Students will analyze the ideological functions of mediated communication and rhetorical methods present in mediated representations of people and ideas. Students will also examine theories concerning the formation and maintenance of social hierarchies, and the ways individuals interact with media images. Prerequisite: Reading Proficiency.

IDS 108. Movement Culture of 1960s America. 3 Credit Hours.

This course explores and analyzes the various aspects of politics and culture from multiple perspectives during the period surrounding and including the 1960s. Through research, exploration and analysis, this course focuses on politics, literature, history, film, and music and the various themes which characterized those years and the ways in which that decade shaped and changed American society. Prerequisite: Reading Proficiency.

This course introduces students to global processes influencing and shaping race/ethnicity, gender and religion in the American experience. Students will study the historical layers of cultural, economic and political interaction between the continents of Africa, Asia, Europe, South America, and North America that have influenced and shaped the role of race/ethnicity, gender, and religion in American history and in the modern nation. Prerequisite: Reading Proficiency.

IDS 112. Sex Trafficking in Global Perspective. 3 Credit Hours.

Sex trafficking is a complex social problem with multiple contributing factors both in the United States and on a global level. Interrelated inequities in gender, sex, power, class, opportunity, education, culture politics, race and sexual objectification are among the social phenomena that contribute to sex trafficking. This course examines dynamics of sex trafficking on a local and global level, drawing from interdisciplinary sources and presenting a variety of perspectives. Prerequisite: Reading Proficiency.

IDS 113. Global Encounters in the Visual Arts. 3 Credit Hours.

This course explores how globalization is manifest in contemporary art and visual culture from around the world. It examines connections between globalization and political, economic, cultural and aesthetic theories in the name of building an awareness of contemporary art as a facet of today's global society. Prerequisite: Reading Proficiency.

IDS 114. Leadership in the 21st Century. 3 Credit Hours.

This course offers students the unique opportunity to explore the complex concept of leadership from multiple perspectives, from understanding personal values to understanding the responsibilities of being a global citizen. This interdisciplinary course will include the detailed study of the leadership theories, concepts and skills. Prerequisite: Reading Proficiency.

IDS 115. The Science and Value of Happiness. 3 Credit Hours.

What makes people happy and why? Through counseling, psychological and biological approaches to the study of happiness, this course examines personal values, the values of others, and how those values influence choice, lifestyle and behavior. The ability to critique the cultural, moral and ethical implications of being happy and how this relates to overall well-being, citizenship and personal growth is developed. Prerequisite: Reading Proficiency.

This course examines historical, social, and cultural constructions of youth in discourse, including texts created about, for, and by girls, boys, and teens. This course also exposes students to the primary theoretical frameworks and methodological approaches developed by Youth Studies scholars to analyze media texts and youth cultures, focusing primarily on research in the social sciences, gender studies, literary criticism, and cultural studies. Prerequisite: Reading Proficiency.

IDS 117. Sport and Society. 3 Credit Hours.

This course focuses on the many ways the problems in sports reflect larger issues of culture, socializations, capitalism, race and gender within society. These topics are opportunities for students to utilize academic research, examine effective rhetorical strategies, and argue positions. Prerequisites: ENG 030 with a minimum grade of "C" and Reading Proficiency.

IDS 118. Environmental Conflicts and Consequences. 3 Credit Hours.

This course explores systemic causes and implications of environmental threats. This course examines the roles of government, industry, and community in addressing environmental problems, with particular emphasis on environmental justice. It devotes particular attention to sociological and historical perspectives. Prerequisite: Reading Proficiency.

In this course, students analyze and evaluate how films communicate historical personalities and events, and compare that expression with the presentation of history through written accounts. Through multiple perspectives, and discipline specific criteria, student ultimately consider how history and film attempt to illuminate both the past and the "truth" for "audiences" of the present. Prerequisite: Reading Proficiency.

IDS 120. Science, Sci-Fi, Society and Cinema. 3 Credit Hours.

In this course, students utilize the basic language and analytical criteria of both Science and Cinema to investigate the portrayal of science and scientist in cinema. Portrayals real and imagined are explored to investigate dualities and how the quest for knowledge can lead to consequences and catalyst not so "scientifically detached" - at least not on film. Prerequisite: Reading Proficiency.